Second row (l-r); Dick Hill (Trainer), Magnus McPhee, Jack Astley, Ellis Lager, Bill Morgan, George Mason, Dennis Tooze, Walter Metcalf, Les Bruton (Assistant Trainer)
Third row (l-r); Billy Frith, George McNestry, Jackie Broen, Jack Snape, Harry Storer (Manager), Lawrence Armeson, Billy Lake, Bernard Smith, Harry Boileau
Front row (l-r); Ted Roberts, Billy McDonald, Jack Kyle, Harry Barratt, Larry Conwell, Harry Pearson, Arthur Fitton
By Jim Brown
In the summer of 1937 strengthened the playing staff manager Harry Storer by signing forward Magnus McPhee from Bradford Park Avenue for £2,000 and an uncompromising defender Walter Metcalf from Brentford for £1,500. The club resisted overtures from First Division clubs, including Bolton Wanderers, for two of their star players, George Mason and Les Jones.
A new kit was introduced after many letters to the local press complaining about the ‘scruffy’ appearance of the players in their faded shirts. Out went the blue and white halved shirts to be replaced by a new shirt with three broad vertical panels with a central panel of white bordered by two light blue panels. The V-neck was fashionably laced with white string and at the same time the team switched from dark blue shorts to white ones. The team picture taken in August 1937 (see above) show a dapper looking team surrounding a scowling Storer.
The Bantams began the 1937-38 season with their best ever start – unbeaten for 15 games before losing at home to Sheffield Wednesday in November. The run included a 0-0 draw at Villa Park in front of 67,271 fans, a Division Two record at that time. The city of Coventry was football crazy and it was becoming unusual to have a gate under 25,000 at Highfield Road. City lead the table until Christmas Day when they travelled to a fog-shrouded Bramall Lane and in front of over 49,000 threw away a two-goal lead, losing 2-3 to a late Blades’ goal. The win took the Blades top and two days later in the return 40,746 turned up to see City again throw away a two-goal lead in an enthralling 2-2 draw with the equaliser coming in the last minute. The three points lost to United would prove to be crucial at the end of the season.
Although City’s form was not as impressive after Christmas they were never out of the top four and always in touch with the leaders. On 12 March Villa arrived at Highfield Road as leaders with City in second place and a ground record crowd of 44,930 saw a Ronnie Starling goal give Villa the points in a high speed game with little skill. Promotion still looked odds-on before the final home game with Fulham but an early injury to Bobby Davidson and a hard bumpy pitch led to a shock 0-1 defeat and wrecked their hopes. The team finished fourth, just one point behind second-placed Manchester United who were promoted with Aston Villa. Despite the ultimate disappointment the average crowd was again an all-time high of 27,159, a figure not surpassed until the 1966-67 promotion season. Jackie Brown again finished as top scorer with 13 goals but the goal scoring sensation was veteran Billy Lake who scored seven goals in seven games including four in one game.
Many supporters claimed the club’s directors didn’t want promotion to Division One after they sold Les Jones to Arsenal for a large fee in November 1937. City didn’t quite play with same zing after Jones left – his replacement Bobby Davidson was injured and Arsenal went on to win the Division One title with Jones a major influence. The legendary Bourton had also left, to join Plymouth after scoring 181 goals for the club and Storer brought in several experienced players and put his faith in some talented youngsters like Ted Roberts, Harry Barratt and Leslie Warner who would all go on to become legends in the post-war era at Highfield Road.
